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State of Oklahoma
Monthly Security Tips
NEWSLETTER
July 2012
Volume 7, Issue 7
Managing Your Digital Footprint: Think Before You Post
From the Desk of CPT Jeff Elliott, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security
If you’re not familiar with the phrase “digital footprint”, it’s important that you become aware of what it is
and how it impacts you. Digital footprint refers to the compilation of content on the Internet that can be
associated with you and, thus, potentially available by anyone performing a search on you. The list of
possible content visible online is endless: your family videos on YouTube, your comments on a news
article or blog, vacation photos on Flickr, your posts on Facebook and Twitter.
Why should you be concerned about the information available online about you? While these pieces of
information may seem innocuous on an individual basis, when pieced together they create a composite
profile that could be used by cyber criminals. The more information out there, the more information that is
accessible for social engineering and ID theft scams. Additionally, this content may be accessed at some
point by an outside source doing an assessment of you, whether it be for college admissions or a new
job.
With so much of your information in so many places online, can you do anything to manage your digital
footprint? Yes. By reviewing the tips below, you can help minimize your online exposure and possibly
reduce the risk of identity theft. Keep in mind, once information is posted on the Internet, sometimes it
may be impossible to remove it.
Map Your Footprint
Before you can start reducing and cleaning your digital footprint, you should know what it currently looks
like. Make a list of all the social networking sites that you've signed up for, any websites where you've
had an account in the past, and all the usernames or aliases you have used on the web.
Using your name, other personal details, and the information from your list, do a few searches on
multiple search engines and you'll get a good idea of how big or small your digital footprint is.
Take Control of Your Privacy
Once your footprint is mapped, you can start to clean it up. Perhaps you found a few social networking
posts that were available to the public, or maybe a few photos that you would rather not have everyone
see. Most social networking sites have varying levels of privacy controls, so you can change a few
settings and restrict access. Think before you post.
Manage Your Interactions with Others
Don’t forget others may be able to see whom you are associated with. Be careful about how you interact
with others online. Be selective about which venues you participate in. If you regularly contribute to blogs
or message boards, consider how your statements might be interpreted by others. Be cautious about

State of Oklahoma
Monthly Security Tips
NEWSLETTER
July 2012
Volume 7, Issue 7
Managing Your Digital Footprint: Think Before You Post
From the Desk of CPT Jeff Elliott, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security
If you’re not familiar with the phrase “digital footprint”, it’s important that you become aware of what it is
and how it impacts you. Digital footprint refers to the compilation of content on the Internet that can be
associated with you and, thus, potentially available by anyone performing a search on you. The list of
possible content visible online is endless: your family videos on YouTube, your comments on a news
article or blog, vacation photos on Flickr, your posts on Facebook and Twitter.
Why should you be concerned about the information available online about you? While these pieces of
information may seem innocuous on an individual basis, when pieced together they create a composite
profile that could be used by cyber criminals. The more information out there, the more information that is
accessible for social engineering and ID theft scams. Additionally, this content may be accessed at some
point by an outside source doing an assessment of you, whether it be for college admissions or a new
job.
With so much of your information in so many places online, can you do anything to manage your digital
footprint? Yes. By reviewing the tips below, you can help minimize your online exposure and possibly
reduce the risk of identity theft. Keep in mind, once information is posted on the Internet, sometimes it
may be impossible to remove it.
Map Your Footprint
Before you can start reducing and cleaning your digital footprint, you should know what it currently looks
like. Make a list of all the social networking sites that you've signed up for, any websites where you've
had an account in the past, and all the usernames or aliases you have used on the web.
Using your name, other personal details, and the information from your list, do a few searches on
multiple search engines and you'll get a good idea of how big or small your digital footprint is.
Take Control of Your Privacy
Once your footprint is mapped, you can start to clean it up. Perhaps you found a few social networking
posts that were available to the public, or maybe a few photos that you would rather not have everyone
see. Most social networking sites have varying levels of privacy controls, so you can change a few
settings and restrict access. Think before you post.
Manage Your Interactions with Others
Don’t forget others may be able to see whom you are associated with. Be careful about how you interact
with others online. Be selective about which venues you participate in. If you regularly contribute to blogs
or message boards, consider how your statements might be interpreted by others. Be cautious about